Bright colors and a fuzzy ‘beard’ make these irises stand out.
What makes a bearded iris is the beard that appears on the three downward petals.
The beard is the stamen part of the flower that produces the pollen.
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The other three petals, called the standards, curve upward.
In the center are the pollen receptacles or the style arms.
Bearded irises can bloom fromearly springto mid-summer.
These plants have rhizomes, an underground stem, that multiply each year and can be divided easily.
In fact, the plants should be lifted and divided about every five years.
Plant them in late summer or early fall so the plant will begin rooting before the first frost.
There are thousands of cultivars with flowers in every color combination except a true red.
Bearded irises are often grown forfloral arrangements.
They are flowering perennials that aredeer-resistantand drought-resistant once established.
Plant Attributes
Bearded Iris Care
Bearded irises are herbaceous perennials, sold by rhizomes.
The rhizomes are planted in July, August, or September.
They must be planted in a well-drained area, with full sun, and good air circulation.
If you haveheavy soilor soil high in clay, add organic matter or compost to improve the drainage.
Raised beds are another alternative.
The ideal pH is 6.8 but they are not overly fussy about that if there is good drainage.
When the plant flowers, remove the spent flowers or the entire flowering stalk to encourage more blooms.
In the following spring, fertilize with a superphosphate fertilizer, a 10-10-10, or a 5-10-10 fertilizer.
Fertilize again one month after blooming.
Light
Bearded irises arefull sun plants.
Soil
Irises must be grown in well-drained soil to prevent rhizome rot.
If the soil is compacted or high in clay,amendwith organic matter first.
If not possible, consider growing in a raised bed.
They prefer soil pH of 6.8, but they aren’t fussy about it if the soil is well-drained.
Water
When planting, water enough to get the plant established.
Do not water overhead or in the evening.
Established plants are drought resistant.
Fertilizer
Fertilize in early springand one month after they bloom.
Do not use a high nitrogen fertilizer.
Remove any dead or diseased foliage, spent flowers, weeds, and any fallen leaves.
How To Plant Rhizomes
Bearded irises grow from rhizomes.
To plant the rhizomes, prepare the soil by making sure it is loose and weed-free.
In very hot areas, the rhizomes may be covered with an inch of soil.
Plant about 12 to 24 inches apart, depending on the ultimate size of the plant.
Water thoroughly and water until established.
Each year, the rhizomes multiply.
The rhizomes should be lifted and divided.
Propagating Bearded Iris
The best way to propagate is bydivision of the rhizomein the summer.
You may not be able to purchase seeds commercially, but you might save the seeds from your plant.
To obtain seed, instead of deadheading, leave the flowers on to develop the green seed pod.
Water often so the seed germinates and does not dry out.
Most are hardy toUSDA Zone 3so they should be winter hardy in the South.
However, they also produce new rhizomes every year, which will get crowded in a container.
Therefore, the container may only be large enough for a year or two.
Choose a large container with drainage holesan 8-inch pot for dwarf bearded iris and a 12-inch pot for tall.
Fill the pot with a well-draining soil, leaving an inch below the rim of the pot.
Add the rhizome to the soil, leaving the top exposed.
The rhizomes can be lifted, divided, and replanted into a larger container when needed.
Overwintering
There are steps to take in the fall to prepare the bearded irises for winter.
Remove any debris, fallen leaves from nearby trees, dead or diseased parts, and spent flowers.
Cut the foliage to about 6 inches.
This increases air circulation, sunlight, and dryness among the plants and removesfungal spores.
This also removes borer eggs if present in the foliage.
Put the leaves in the trash, not the compost.
There is no need to mulch for the winter.
They can also be infected with bacterial or fungal diseases.
The female moth lays eggs in the summer on the foliage.
The eggs sit on the foliage all winter long and hatch in spring.
If you see them in the spring on the foliage, venture to remove that part of the foliage.
When you are dividing the rhizomes, look for the borers as well as any damaged rhizomes.
Another pest is the aphidwhich sucks the sap and can spread disease between plants.
Aphids appear on the buds, blossoms, and foliage.
They can be washed off with a hose or sprayed with an insecticidal soap.
Diseases
Spotted leaves can be because of bacteria or fungus.
A fungal disease will persist well into the summer.
The plants can be sprayed with a fungicide.
There is no cure for a bacterial disease, so the plants will have to be removed.
How to Get Bearded Iris to Bloom
Bearded irises make excellent cut flowers.
Bearded irises bloom from the top down.
Although it’s possible for you to snip individual flowers, this can become onerous.
Deadheading encourages more blooms and removes the unsightly flowers.
However, subsequent blooms are not as reliable.
It is best to deadhead to encourage more blooming.
For maximum blooms, confirm the plant is in full sun and fertilized properly.
In addition, the irises may have been growing in the area for many years and are overcrowded.
This is a small caterpillar feeding into the foliage.
Cut that part of the foliage off, trash it, and keep an eye out for further damage.
Lift the rhizomes and see if you’re free to see the borers.
If so, remove those rhizomes.
Yellow foliage also can be caused bytoo much waterin the soil.
Either the soil is not draining well or there has been too much rain.
They grow 2 to 3 feet tall.
They are less ornate.
Dutch iris is grown from bulbs and grows to 15-24 inches tall.
Because bearded irises multiply, there is no limit to how long they can live.
Divide them every three to five years to extend their lifespan.
Plant bearded irises with a mix of flowers and colors to create a stunning display.
Allium, peonies, delphinium, lupine, and daylilies make good companions.
Or stick with a variety of bearded irises in similar shades and a mixture of heights for dramatic impact.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.Iris.
NC State Extension.Iris x germanica.
American Iris Society.Bearded irises.
